The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
What happens to states' policymaking when they cooperate in international institutions and negotiate measures that affect their national security? Do they get to have their way and advance their agendas? To what extent do they rather succumb to the policy-setting power of coalitions of like-minded countries? What role do formal intergovernmental institutions, such as the United Nations (UN), play in this process? This seminar seeks to shed some light on those questions, using extensive empirical data on the UN and European Union counter-terrorism frameworks, and focusing on the contributions and implementation patterns of three countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
Please join us! Coffee and tea provided. Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come–first served basis.